Adidas Derby Classic RecapApril 19, 2005Coming into the game, I was really excited to have the opportunity to see Clarence play. Here was a 7'1 kid who was considering the NBA draft that not many people really knew about. Coming home from the game, I could not believe that the word NBA have ever been uttered out of his mouth.

Clarence is a big, big kid. The first thing that you notice about him is his mammoth height and size. It has been said that his weight was as high as 300 lbs, but he is down to about 270 pounds at the moment. Size aside, I don't see much in Clarence at all right now. In the two on two tournament, Clarence attempted to use both hands around the basket at every available opportunity, however he did not finish. He had his shot blocked numerous times by 7'2 Jared Carter when the two were matched up against each other. Once the game came around, one could truly see how poor Holloway's conditioning is. He is the epitome of a lumbering big man as he is the last man up and down the floor every single time. Offensively, he fights for position very well down low, but once he gets the ball, he brings it low allowing guards to easily tie him up. The Louisville fans were very excited to have their first chance to see their center of the future, but began sarcastically cheering for him as the game went on. When Clarence finally got his first and only basket of the game at the end of the third quarter, the crowd went nuts. I overheard the fans behind me not even being able to comprehend why Pitino gave him a scholarship. While Holloway does have potential due to his mammoth size, he should not even be thinking of the NBA at the moment, which is what he told me contrary to published reports. In the interview that I conducted with Clarence, he told me that he is either going to Louisville or prep school next year to work on his game. I truly hope he stays true to his word and does not become another high school big man like James Lang who gets lost in the shuffle of the NBA. [Read Full Article]